The present invention relates to solubilized chia seed extracts and more particularly, to the use of polyols, light oils and/or esters for solubilization of chia seed extracts.
Common chia seed extracts include oils extracted from the seeds of chia by pressing or by solvent extraction. Currently, there are four category entries listed in the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association (“CTFA”) Online Ingredient Database under the name of Chia (Salvia hispanica) seed for cosmetic applications. These categories include: (1) chia (Salvia hispanica) seeds or seed powder, used as abrasives; (2) chia seed oil, used as occlusive skin conditioning agents; (3) chia seed CO2 extract, (with no solvent/diluent, CO2 is a non-polar solvent so due to its selectivity, CO2 extraction usually results in a specific hydrophobic fraction of chia seeds); and (4) chia seed extract solution. There are two water soluble blends of chia seed extract including: HP Chia Seed Gel, manufactured by Morechem Co., Ltd. of Metro Manila, Philippines, which is a mixture of water, butylene glycol and Salvia hispanica seed extract; and Chia Extract, which is manufactured by Carrubba, Inc. of Milford, Conn., USA, and which is a mixture of glycerin, water, and Salvia hispanica seed extract.
There are a variety of U.S. patents that individually relate to chia seed oil, however, none known to the Applicants show or even contemplate a solubilization or stabilization process that incorporates both polyols and hydrophobic light oils and/or esters. For example, some patents relate to the following: a skin care composition containing chia seed oil for moisturization and appearance of skin; manufacturing conditions of producing chia seed oil containing polyunsaturated fatty acids; cosmetic compositions containing fatty acid triglyceride mixtures from various seeds including chia seeds; use of chia oil in cosmetic and dermatologic compositions containing salicylic acid; use of chia oil as emollient in skin care applications; use of chia oil as one oily component in a film-forming composition for skin care applications; or use of chia oil as an oily component in an antioxidant composition.